Cason Beatty: From Villain to Hero

Wayne McGahee

11/18/2014

Cason Beatty has turned his career around, and is now a key piece to the Florida State puzzle.

For the better part of two years Cason Beatty has been the most criticized player on the Florida State roster. Seminole fans were calling for him to be replaced for the two prior seasons and for a good portion of this season. Beatty averaged 38.3 yards per punt in 2012 and 41.1 in 2013.

Beatty had earned the criticism due to his play on the field, but against Clemson that changed. He punted a career high eight times during that game and averaged 40.4 yards per punt. He was able to flip the field multiple times and prevent Clemson from winning the field position battle.

Beatty said that punting so much in that game helped him get into a rhythm.

“The Clemson game is when it settled,” Beatty said. “You know just starting to turn the ball over, and in the Clemson game I hit the ball well.”

Over the last five games Beatty is averaging 44.6 yards per punt with a long of 67 yards. That 67-yard punt is tied for the longest punt in the ACC this season. Beatty said that he didn’t change anything in his technique.

“It was more of a mental thing,” Beatty said. “I was really hyped up for that first game and I got away from my technique a little bit that I’d been doing all camp. After that game I just sat down and was like ‘just go to the basics’.”

Since the Clemson game Beatty has been punting with confidence.

“I know that anytime we get across the 50 that we’re either going to score, kick a field goal, or pin them back deep,” Beatty said. “That’s the confidence going in, and there’s a confidence in all aspects now. We’ve been backed up more than we ever have before. The only time we were backed up last year was the national championship game. I feel that anywhere the offense struggles I can bail them out from any part of the field.”

With his ability to flip the field, Beatty has become one of the most important players on the team this year, and Florida State has needed him to be. The offense has struggled, Beatty has excelled, and the world has been turned upside down.